Lighting fixture



Jab. 24, 1939. E. M SORENG 2,144,745

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed June 7, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jim/"Miami? I i %iiJan. 24, 1939. SORENG 2,144,745

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed June 7, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 24,1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIGHTING FIXTURE of IllinoisApplication June '1, 1937, Serial No. 146,778

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in lighting fixtures and refersparticularly to a selfcontained battery operated lighting fixture,particularly adapted for use in closets and the like.

It is an object of this invention to provide a lighting device of thecharacter described which incorporates a switch and which may be somounted that upon opening of the closet door the switch is closed tolight the light.

Another object of this invention is to provide a compact lighting deviceof the character described in which the batteries to provide theelectric energy are contained within the housing or casing of the light.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cheap lightingfixture of the character described which may be mounted on a wall orhung up in a closet to provide a semi-permanent lighting fixture.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction,combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafterdescribed, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, itbeing understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of thehereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of theclaims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate two complete examples of thephysical embodiment of the invention constructed in accordance with thebest modes so far devised for the practical application of theprinciples thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the door to a closet or othercompartment, and illustrating one manner of using the lighting fixtureof this invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the entire fixture with the cover ofthe casing removed and the batteries shown in construction lines;

Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views showing one end portion of thelighting fixture and illustrating the manner in which the switch may berendered inoperative;

Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating a slightly modifiedembodiment of this invention; and

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view illustrating the lower end of thefixture shown in Figure 5.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawings in which likenumerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 5designates the housing or casing of a lighting fixture having itsopposite ends closed by walls I and I, and having an open side adaptedto be closed by a removable cover I. The housing or casing and the coverI are formed of sheet metal,

go and the cover is preferably attached to the housing by means of atongue and groove connection along the marginal edges of the side wallsQ.

Mounted on the exterior of the end wall 8 is an electric light socketill to receive a small light bulb I i. The lamp socket has its outerterminal, 5 which is formed by the outer shell of the socket, groundedto the casing or housing, and has its center terminal insulatedtherefrom by being attached to a disc of insulating material i2 fixed tothe inner surface of the wall 6. 1o

Surrounding the socket l0 and spaced thererom is a cup i8, preferablysecured in position by having its bottom wall confined between thesocket and the outer face of the end wall. This cup member llfrictionally receives the open end 15 of a transparent cap I which isfitted over the light bulb to provide a more finished appearance andalso protect the bulb.

Secured to the inner face of the insulating disc I! and in electricalconnection with the 20 center terminal of the socket, is a spring clipII. The outer end of the spring clip is doubled back and engages thecenter terminal of a conventional flashlight battery, illustrated inconstruction lines in Figure 2. The housing or casing l 35 is of suchcross sectional dimensions as to Just receive the diameter of thebattery and to provide space for a switch contactor, indicated generallyby the numeral It. The bottom wall l1, and one side wall ill of thecasing, have inwardly 30 directed projections 20 which engage the sideof the battery and hold the same away from the corner formed at thejunction of the walls I! and I8 in which corner the switch contactor islocated. 35

Two batteries are preferably arranged in tandem, as illustrated inFigure 2, and when so posi-' tioned, the batteries are retained inposition under spring tension by the spring clip I! acting inconjunction with a spring contact strip Ii 40 mounted on the end wall I.

The contact strip 21 is riveted to a disc 22 of insulating material,which in turn is secured to the inner face of the end wall I in such amanner that no part of the contact strip 2| or its 45 attachment to thedisc 22 is in electrical contact with the end wall 1. One end of thestrip 2| projects beyond the circumference of the disc 22 toward thecorner of the casing in which the switch contactor I! is mounted. to

The switch contactor It consists of a rod 23 having its outer endportion slidable through a hole in the end wall I and its inner endportion 24, which is of flattened cross section, slidable throughapertures in two ears 2! and 26. These cars are struck up from theopposite ends of a bearing member 21 riveted to the bottom wall of theAt a point intermediate the distance between the bearing 21 and the endwall I, the rod II has so a spring stop 28 fixed to it. An expansionspring 29 coiled about the rod is confined between the stop 28 and theear 25 and when unrestrained, yieldingly urges the rod outwardly of thecasing to engage the spring stop 28 with the end 30 of the contact strip2| to electrically ground the strip 2 I. Inasmuch as the end wall of theadjacent battery is an' electrical engagement with the strip 2|, and asthe spring clip l5 engages the center terminal of the other battery, anenergizing circuit. is thus established for the light whenever thespring 29 engages its stop 28 with the end 30 of the contact strip.

The outermost end of the rod 23 has a rubber button 3! fixed to it to beengaged by a closet door as the door is closed when the light fixture ismounted as illustrated in Figure 1.

To mount the fixture for this manner of use, the cover 8 has two off-setapertured portions 32 through which screws or other fastening means maybe passed to securely attach the cover to the door lamb 33 in such aposition that the rubber bumper II will be engaged by the door 34 whenthe door is closed.

It is to be observed that the end of the cover, which is remote from thedoor 34 in this instance, has its edge turned-down as at 35 to engagethe end wall 6 of the casing and limit relative endwise motion of thecover and easing so that the engagement of the door with the switchcontactor rod does not shift the casing. with respect to the cover.

If it is desired to secure the contactor against movement to its switchclosing position, it is only necessary to press the .rod 23 to itsinnermost limit of movement and turn it slightly. To this end the holein the ear 25 of the bearing 21 is of an oblong or rectangular shapesubstantially corresponding to the cross sectional shape of theflattened end portion 24 so that when the rod is pushed in sufllcientlyto dispose the junction of-its flattened end portion and its round crosssection inwardly'of the ear 2!, the rod may be turned and thereafterheld against spring propelled endwise motion. To limit the rotation oftherod and facilitate its disposition in the position at which it isheld against spring propelled endwise motion, the hole in the other car'20 is of irregular shape to provide stop abutments cooperating with theflat sides of the flattened portion 24, as will be readily apparent.

- A modified embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figures 5 and6. In this instance, the casing is provided with a bail 36 attached tothe end wall 8 to permit the entire flxture to be suspended from asuitable support, and instead of the switch described, a small pullchain switch,

indicated generally by the numeral 31, is mountcdontheendwalll.

Inasmuch as the details of this switch form no part of the invention,they have not been illustrated; suflice it to say that the switchmechanism, which is enclosed within a sheet metal cover I! flxed to theend wall I, is mounted on a square of insulated sheet material 3! fixedtothe inner surface of the end wall I.

One terminal of the switch is electrically connected to a contact strip39 similar to the strip II and arranged to engage the adjacent end wallof a battery so that whenever the switch 31 is closed, this terminal ofthe battery will be grounded to the casing to complete the lightingcircuit. In other respects the embodiment of the invention illustratedin Figures 5 and 6 is the same as that previously described.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, thatthis invention provides a compact self-contained lighting fixtureadmirably adapted for use in closets and the like, and that its novelconstruction permits the manufacture thereof at an exceptionally lowcost.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A lighting fixture of the character described comprising: a casinghaving spaced end walls and being of a size to receive conventionalflashlight batteries arranged endwise between its end walls; an electriclight bulb mounted on the outside of one end wall with one terminalthereof grounded to the casing and its other terminal insulatedtherefrom; a contact member on the inner face of said end wallelectrically connected with said other terminal of the light bulb andadapted to engage one terminal of a flashlight battery in position; acontact strip mounted on the inner face of the opposite end wall butelectrically insulated therefrom, said strip having a part adapted toengage the other terminal of a flashlight battery in position; and meansfor electrically grounding said contact strip to the casing comprising,a longitudinally movable rod projecting through a hole in said oppositeend wall adjacent to one end of said contact strip but with the rodspaced from the strip;a coil spring coiled about the rod; and a springstop carried by the rod and engaged by the spring so that the springyieldingly urges the rod outwardly of the casing to a position at whichthe spring stop engages said contact strip to electrically ground thesame whereby the lighting ciricuit is closed whenever the rod isreleased for spring propelled outward motion.

2. A lighting fixture of the character described comprising: a casinghaving spaced end walls and being of a size to receive conventionalflashlight batteries arranged endwise. between its end walls; anelectric light bulb mounted on the outside of one end wall with oneterminal thereof grounded to the casing and its other terminal insulatedtherefrom; a contact member on the inner face of said end wallelectrically connected with said other terminal of the light bulb andadapted to engage one terminal of a flashlight battery in position; acontact strip mounted on the inner face of the other end wall butelectrically insulated therefrom, said strip having a part adapted toengage the other terminal of a flashlight battery in position; and meansfor electrically grounding said contact strip to the casing comprising alongitudinally movable rod projecting through ahole in the casing walladjacent to one end of said contact strip but with the rod spaced fromthe strip; a coil spring coiled about the rod; a spring stop carried bythe rod and engaged by the spring so that the spring yieldingly urgesthe rod outwardly of the casing to a position at which the spring stopengages said contact strip to electrically ground the-same whereby thelighting circuit is closed whenever the rod is released for springpropelled outward motion; and means for releasably securing the rodagainst spring propelled motion upon the application of a predetermineddegree of rotation to the rod while in its retracted position.

EDGAR SORENG.

